Lakers star Luka Doncic suffers hamstring injury against Thunder

Doncic will undergo an MRI on Friday to determine the severity of the injury.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 11:21am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a basketball player driving to the hoop, with the figure broken down into sharp, overlapping planes of color, conveying the intensity and movement of the game.Doncic's hamstring injury leaves the Lakers' playoff hopes in jeopardy as they await the results of his MRI.Oklahoma City Today

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic suffered a hamstring injury during Thursday night's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Doncic left the game in the third quarter after trying to make a move with the ball and coming up limping. He looked devastated as he left the court. The team says Doncic will undergo an MRI on Friday to determine the extent of the injury and his timeline for return.

Why it matters

Doncic has been an MVP-caliber player for the Lakers this season, helping make them a Finals contender. Any significant injury to Doncic would be a major blow to the Lakers' championship aspirations, especially with the playoffs approaching.

The details

Doncic had played in 64 of the Lakers' 65 games this season, just one shy of the NBA awards eligibility threshold of 65 games. He suffered the hamstring injury in the third quarter after trying to make a move with the ball. Doncic looked devastated as he lay on the court and left the game in tears.

  • Doncic suffered the injury during the third quarter of Thursday night's game against the Thunder.
  • Doncic will undergo an MRI on Friday to determine the severity of the injury.

The players

Luka Doncic

An MVP-caliber player for the Los Angeles Lakers this season, helping make them a Finals contender.

J.J. Redick

The Lakers' head coach, who said Doncic will undergo an MRI on Friday.

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What they’re saying

“Doncic would have an MRI on Friday to find out more. So we'll await the results of that before we see if Doncic can return for the regular season or the postseason... or if he's out longer than that.”

— J.J. Redick, Lakers Head Coach

What’s next

The Lakers will wait for the results of Doncic's MRI on Friday to determine the severity of the injury and his timeline for return.

The takeaway

Doncic's hamstring injury is a major concern for the Lakers as they push towards the playoffs. The team will have to wait for the MRI results to know if he will miss significant time, which would be a devastating blow to their championship aspirations.